I think the point made about the safety factor of launching and landing a really good one. If I'm in the mood, I too prefer to be be lit, which is most of the time. I'd rather let the wind do the work and to tap into its energy with deft touch. Actually the monk has let me move into the category your are talking about. But you are right on the money man, its the point when you are launching there is a slight tension like you get beforehand say a big grand final in your sport or you are about to go on stage, or she's about to....anyhow

Then when you are out there for a while you co sided landing and go, well this will be interesting.

But not to the point where you know it is downright dangerous. Yeh man I hear ya.

So the SP for me also depends if I have someone who can help launch and land. If solo will always err on that safer side.

Let us know how those new C4s go, haven't yet read a detailed explanation of how the new ones ride. Just little bits of nothing really.

Yeah my sweet spot can change dramatically depending on my flavour for the day. One of best sessions this year was fully 30-35 knot session boosting to the moon on the 8m cat. Yet the other day I had killed my c4 and took the 8m cat out in the waves in 20-25. I was way under done for my normal riding and of the kites sweet spot for a boostathon. But right in the kites sweet spot for wave riding.

infact lately i have had plenty of sweet spot sessions on most of my kites. Spring is good here in nz.

Nicely said FT. That's about the same for me ... kite seems more fun when lit, but then there's some fear involved on launch/landing. And then when lit out there, also that feeling of "this is super fun, but if it increases 5kts more, I'm screwed". Overpowered conditions for me lead to "survival kiting", which I don't find much fun...exciting yes, but not really what I'd call "fun". So, in choosing the right kite, the question for me is optimal/safe for launch/land but maybe a little underpowered, or lit and super fun but maybe having some worries.

There's always the QR, and if you run into a problem or you need to land and it's lofting you, the QR solves the problem. I remember the last time I went out on my 16 and was racing to get to shore right in front of a squall line, and I didn't have time to get back to the beach, and in waist deep water I jumped off the board and I kinda did a little involuntary jesus walking with the kite parked right overhead... Threw the QR and I was standing on the seafloor again, right as the front hit. I just covered my face with the board and left the kite flagged to the front lines, and when it blew over, I grabbed the bar and went back to it.

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I think the point made about the safety factor of launching and landing a really good one. If I'm in the mood, I too prefer to be be lit, which is most of the time. I'd rather let the wind do the work and to tap into its energy with deft touch. Actually the monk has let me move into the category your are talking about. But you are right on the money man, its the point when you are launching there is a slight tension like you get beforehand say a big grand final in your sport or you are about to go on stage

Exactly, stagefright, pre-performance jitters. You feel better when you get out on the water, or rather, over it. If the wind goes up when I am out there, and I don't think I can hold the sideways pull on the kite long enough to bring it over to someone to land it, I'll just point myself towards the shore and throw the QR at speed. If I time it right, and head towards the kite as it noses in, the kite lands straight downwind of me as nice as you please, and I glide on momentum into the shallows, like a boss. Then just handwalk the front lines to bring in the kite. That might not work for all kites, but all the ones I have will flag to the front lines. This is not a wise idea on a C or a kite that flags to a wingtip.

ozone flags to one front line. Got to watch those long thin edges that you have the safety line stopper ball high enough so it flags properly. I found out the hard way. She will loop like a mofo if your stopper ball is even a meter short.

teathered launch/land is the way for me solo in stupid conditions.

Teathered land in partiuclar really easy.

ps westeppo how you liking the 11 an 9 edge give me a review on the 9 in particular. i haven't flown that size edge yet.

ozone flags to one front line. Got to watch those long thin edges that you have the safety line stopper ball high enough so it flags properly. I found out the hard way. She will loop like a mofo if your stopper ball is even a meter short.

teathered launch/land is the way for me solo in stupid conditions.

Teathered land in partiuclar really easy.

ps westeppo how you liking the 11 an 9 edge give me a review on the 9 in particular. i haven't flown that size edge yet.

yEH Looking at the setup i thought as much. Is it worth me then moving that stopper ball up a bit? Might try and check it lighter winds. Yeh just spoke to cauncy he to tethers in high winds. Remember to not hold onto the quick release though as it is a pull down system - der...got myself in a pickle the other day while tether landing and had to basically let the kite go down the beach, luckily no probs.

yeh man I had one of those sessions you talk about the other day on my 11m and the cardboard mutant. 17-21, just right for tha board. started slowly due to my stomach muscle injury but once I was certain it wouldnt pop again, started to get more aggressive, more higher and more aggressive in the waved until I was literally hooting with joy. This to me after 13 years is the ultimate in perfection for a wing. I cannot speak more highly of this kite. Cauncy says he didnt notice much diff comparing the 2013 and 2012, apart from a bit quicker but I don't know any different either. All this talk about uncontrolled speed is bullshit if you know how to edge properly. It so reminds me of my foil days, closest thing I've found without all the hangups. Taken me alot of time and money to get to this place, stoked I have arrived! So smooth, so direct, and yet so much power! Can ya tell I'm happy yet? And it is quick enough to do all my lame transition roll loops etc.,

actually on looping this kite I was pleasantly suprised how much control you have in the power output generated by the loop. You can be real aggressive and really get yanked around or if ya chicken shit a bit, mid loop if you depower, it makes the loop a lot less aggresive and manageable. But as she comes around, the kite is moving fast, and fast with an edge means fast at your end, so you realy need to edge like a mother nice person real early, then is sweeps around the window and just burns you upwind. What a freeride kite man.

Yep will let ya know about the 9m. If this stupid low system pisses off and stops stuffing up what would be a perfect high system with perfect breezes!

We quote wind ranges of our kites... this kite does 15-30 knots that one does 20-40 knots.

And yes we can fly them across that range. But there is a sweet spot for each kite. Find that spot and you have a magic session.

The sweet spot will be dependant on a number of variables. Your chosen style of riding. Your board, your water conditions, how many pies you have eaten,,,,

For me the sweet spot of my kites is that that point when you can park and ride. can boost and do loops. you have ample power but yet you can still send the kite through any part of the window without getting slammed.

Typically I find each kite has a sweet spot of 5 knots or so for any given style.

When I have a session thats within that sweet spot on any of my kites its allways a good session.

I disagree when you say ALL kites have a 5 kt range sweet spot. A sweet spot relative to a kite is completely different than the sweet spot associated with hitting a baseball, golf ball, etc. A lot of kites have a wide range of performance capabilities and can have multiple sweet spots. My kite specifically gives me 3 sweet spots.

From 13 - 17 kts my 11M allows me to do some lofty and fun tricks where I know I am not going to be overpowered like basic back roll/front roll transitions, (avg 10 ft off the water) or a nice controlled and not overpowered dark slide where I can loop the kite nice and easy.

From 18 - 23 kts I can increase my boost height to 15 - 20 ft and increase my number of rotations in transitions, board offs that aren't rushed, etc.

From 24 - 29kts + I can do what I love most which is throwing mega loops and flat out boosting to the moon especially if I can get kickers like the face of a 5 ft wave. That is 3 distinct "sweet spots" I have with my kite. All equally enjoyable and all dependent upon a specific wind range. So while some kites are purpose built and definitely limited in their sweet spot range...my kite along with most other kites I see are not limited to a 5 kt sweet spot.

Hey man you ever have to solo launch and land in these conditions? What's ya call on this?

Hey riding edges right now, does the ozone flag to the front lines? Pretty sure it does.

I've solo launched in 35+ probably about 40kts avg wind with gust pushing 50 on a 7m Wainman. No one else was there and I was just mowing the lawn in case something did happen I could ditch the kite. Lets just say I cut the session way short and will never do that again. If I wanted to mow the lawn I'd buy a race board.

We quote wind ranges of our kites... this kite does 15-30 knots that one does 20-40 knots.

And yes we can fly them across that range. But there is a sweet spot for each kite. Find that spot and you have a magic session.

The sweet spot will be dependant on a number of variables. Your chosen style of riding. Your board, your water conditions, how many pies you have eaten,,,,

For me the sweet spot of my kites is that that point when you can park and ride. can boost and do loops. you have ample power but yet you can still send the kite through any part of the window without getting slammed.

Typically I find each kite has a sweet spot of 5 knots or so for any given style.

When I have a session thats within that sweet spot on any of my kites its allways a good session.

I disagree when you say ALL kites have a 5 kt range sweet spot. A sweet spot relative to a kite is completely different than the sweet spot associated with hitting a baseball, golf ball, etc. A lot of kites have a wide range of performance capabilities and can have multiple sweet spots. My kite specifically gives me 3 sweet spots.

From 13 - 17 kts my 11M allows me to do some lofty and fun tricks where I know I am not going to be overpowered like basic back roll/front roll transitions, (avg 10 ft off the water) or a nice controlled and not overpowered dark slide where I can loop the kite nice and easy.

From 18 - 23 kts I can increase my boost height to 15 - 20 ft and increase my number of rotations in transitions, board offs that aren't rushed, etc.

From 24 - 29kts + I can do what I love most which is throwing mega loops and flat out boosting to the moon especially if I can get kickers like the face of a 5 ft wave. That is 3 distinct "sweet spots" I have with my kite. All equally enjoyable and all dependent upon a specific wind range. So while some kites are purpose built and definitely limited in their sweet spot range...my kite along with most other kites I see are not limited to a 5 kt sweet spot.

Ahh.. bro you miss-enterpret what i'm trying to say. I completely agree with you. You can change style of riding and get different sweet spots out of a kite.

My statement is given one style or activity the sweet spot is around 5 knots. eg your mega loop sweet spot is 24-29 knots.

I can really enjoy my 8m cat 20-35 knots. but i must adjust my style. If i want to boost on that kite i need to do it 30-35. if i want to boost 20-25 i cannot use my 8m light. if i want to be stupid powered in 20-25 i need to choose my 13m edge....

given that i have a decadent 5 kite quiver i can pretty much have any riding style i like on any day because i allways have a kite that is sitting in that sweet spot.

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